Anyone who wrote a program for public use, has received at least one
bad bug report. Messages that are not talked about anything ("It does
not work"); messages that did not make sense, the messages that were not
given sufficient information, the messages that were given incorrect
information. Reports of problems that turn out user error, reports about
problems that turn a defect in someone else’s program, reports of
problems that turn network failures.
There is reason to believe the work of technical support, which is disgusting to do, and the reason - bad error messages. However, not all error messages are repulsive: I support the free software when you do not earn a living and sometimes I get a wonderful, clear, informative posts.
In this essay I will attempt to articulate what makes a good error message. Ideally I would like to see everything in the world to read this essay before you tell anyone about the error. Of course, I would like to see everyone who reports an error to me, read it.
In short, the purpose of error messages - to allow the programmer to see ourselves as the program fails. You can either show it in person, or to give precise and detailed instructions on how to make the program broke down. If they can make it fail, they will try to gather additional information until yet know the cause. If they can not make it fail, they should ask you to collect this information.
In the error messages, try to clearly define what is the actual facts ("I was at the computer and this happened"), and that - assumptions ("I think the problem may be in this"). Lower the assumption, if you wish, but do not immerse the facts.
When you report an error, you do it because you want that the error was corrected. It makes no sense to blame the programmers, or knowingly assist them: this may be their fault and your problem and you can be angry at them, and you may be right that get angry at them, but will be fixed faster if you help them by providing all the information they need. Also remember that if the program is free, the author gives it to you out of kindness, so if too many people are too rough with him, he may cease to be good.
1."This is not working"
2."Show me"
3."Show me how to show yourself"
4."Works for me. So what’s wrong? "
5."Then I tried it…"
6."I think the tachyon modulation must be badly polarized"
7."It’s funny, it did so a moment ago"
8."Then I loaded the CD into your Windows…"
There is reason to believe the work of technical support, which is disgusting to do, and the reason - bad error messages. However, not all error messages are repulsive: I support the free software when you do not earn a living and sometimes I get a wonderful, clear, informative posts.
In this essay I will attempt to articulate what makes a good error message. Ideally I would like to see everything in the world to read this essay before you tell anyone about the error. Of course, I would like to see everyone who reports an error to me, read it.
In short, the purpose of error messages - to allow the programmer to see ourselves as the program fails. You can either show it in person, or to give precise and detailed instructions on how to make the program broke down. If they can make it fail, they will try to gather additional information until yet know the cause. If they can not make it fail, they should ask you to collect this information.
In the error messages, try to clearly define what is the actual facts ("I was at the computer and this happened"), and that - assumptions ("I think the problem may be in this"). Lower the assumption, if you wish, but do not immerse the facts.
When you report an error, you do it because you want that the error was corrected. It makes no sense to blame the programmers, or knowingly assist them: this may be their fault and your problem and you can be angry at them, and you may be right that get angry at them, but will be fixed faster if you help them by providing all the information they need. Also remember that if the program is free, the author gives it to you out of kindness, so if too many people are too rough with him, he may cease to be good.
1."This is not working"
2."Show me"
3."Show me how to show yourself"
4."Works for me. So what’s wrong? "
5."Then I tried it…"
6."I think the tachyon modulation must be badly polarized"
7."It’s funny, it did so a moment ago"
8."Then I loaded the CD into your Windows…"
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